Infrared detectors must be cooled with liquid nitrogen to low operating temperatures to provide sufficient signal-to-noise ratio for thermal imaging applications. This is because background noise limits the capabilities of infrared detectors. Providing lower background noise would reduce the signal-to-noise ratio for an infrared detector operating at typical operating temperatures. This would improve thermal imaging capabilities.
Reducing the background noise in an infrared detector could also allow increased operating temperature without sacrificing significant loss in performance. Higher temperature operation for infrared detectors can allow lower operating cost as compared to conventional lower temperature detectors.
Thus, what is needed is an infrared detection system that limits background noise.